Civilians Flee Heavy Fighting in Mosul; 223 Killed in Iraq

About 1,000 civilians crossed
the front lines in Mosul on Saturday to escape Islamic State territory
and were whisked away to safety by security forces. Among them were people
originally displaced
from Hammam al-Alil. Other civilians say
that militants forced them to move to Mosul from Samarra to be used as human
shields. Authorities believe
that the militants are still relocating civilians for this very use, this time
from the outskirts of Mosul to central neighborhoods.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeirmet
with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to foster reconciliation between the
two countries. Relations have been tense since Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in
1990.

At least 223 were killed and 65 more were wounded in
the latest violence: